Today was both a battle and a walk in the park. First, the saunter…
After getting everything set up and sanitized, I started filling the bladder press. I‘ve found it’s easiest to just take 35 trips to the fermentor with a gallon sized pitcher. Most of the wine “free runs” through a strainer into the 5 gallon stainless stock pot and then pumped into the secondary fermentors (120L Speidel). It's typical to replace the strainer about every 5 gallons. I have two and alternate. I use a hose and spray the clogged strainer and put it back into rotation. My new pump worked like a champ. It never clogged and I was able to work through five fermentors within a few hours. You can see the setup in the pictures below. I was able to get approximately 62 gallons of Cab Franc (gravity is .996) and 45 gallons of Petite Sirah (gravity .995). I kept the press at one bar hoping for a gentle press.
Now, the battle…. Halfway through the first fermentor (Petite Sirah), I heard a crash behind me in the garage. During set up I noticed that one of the fermentors was listing. I literally got down on my hands and knees to see why. One of the five wheels was turned inward and wasn’t providing any support on that side. Keep in mind the food grade plastic cans are wide mouthed and tapered to the bottom. So in my case, top heavy and listing on a slopped concrete floor (All the clues were there, I should have known!). To my horror, it actually tipped completely over and I lost all 40 gallons of must. That was the crash I heard filling the bladder press. I made my way in to the garage.
I was stunned, dumbfounded and simply went back to the press knowing there was nothing that could be done except clean it all upon the completion of the press.
Gone. It’s gone. Down the drain in the floor. My unintended and inadvertent contribution to the fruit fly circle of life.
Now, some pictures - in order - to represent the day….
After getting everything set up and sanitized, I started filling the bladder press. I‘ve found it’s easiest to just take 35 trips to the fermentor with a gallon sized pitcher. Most of the wine “free runs” through a strainer into the 5 gallon stainless stock pot and then pumped into the secondary fermentors (120L Speidel). It's typical to replace the strainer about every 5 gallons. I have two and alternate. I use a hose and spray the clogged strainer and put it back into rotation. My new pump worked like a champ. It never clogged and I was able to work through five fermentors within a few hours. You can see the setup in the pictures below. I was able to get approximately 62 gallons of Cab Franc (gravity is .996) and 45 gallons of Petite Sirah (gravity .995). I kept the press at one bar hoping for a gentle press.
Now, the battle…. Halfway through the first fermentor (Petite Sirah), I heard a crash behind me in the garage. During set up I noticed that one of the fermentors was listing. I literally got down on my hands and knees to see why. One of the five wheels was turned inward and wasn’t providing any support on that side. Keep in mind the food grade plastic cans are wide mouthed and tapered to the bottom. So in my case, top heavy and listing on a slopped concrete floor (All the clues were there, I should have known!). To my horror, it actually tipped completely over and I lost all 40 gallons of must. That was the crash I heard filling the bladder press. I made my way in to the garage.
I was stunned, dumbfounded and simply went back to the press knowing there was nothing that could be done except clean it all upon the completion of the press.
Gone. It’s gone. Down the drain in the floor. My unintended and inadvertent contribution to the fruit fly circle of life.
Now, some pictures - in order - to represent the day….
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